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Abortion drug debate to continue

ELIZABETH JACKSON: The Federal Opposition Leader's declaration that he'll accept the recommendation of experts on the public funding of abortion drugs has taken much of the politics out of the issue.

The Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek is now considering whether to list the drugs, commonly known as RU-486, on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Politicians who've long argued for greater access say it's simply the next step in giving women more choice, but one pro-life senator is still questioning the safety of the drugs.

From Canberra, Naomi Woodley reports.

NAOMI WOODLEY: In 2006 four female parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, successfully sponsored a bill to put control of abortion drugs back in the hands of the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Labor Senator Claire Moore was one of them.

CLAIRE MOORE: I think it reinforces everything that we asked for. That this medication, like all others, goes through the standard process, and not become a political exercise.

NAOMI WOODLEY: She's welcoming the decision by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee to recommend that Mifepristone and Misoprostol be publicly subsidised.

The Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek says she'll make her final decision in a few weeks' time. Senator Moore says its common sense.

CLAIRE MOORE: For women all across Australia to have a real choice when they make this difficult decision to terminate.

NAOMI WOODLEY: Should there be any debate over the safety of this drug?

CLAIRE MOORE: No, that's already been done. We had an extensive review by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) when they did their job, which is spelled out for any medication that is operating in our country to make sure that it's safe and it does its job. That's been done.

NAOMI WOODLEY: But at least one senator disagrees.

JOHN MADIGAN: Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is for medicine, for disease, and since when was pregnancy a disease?

NAOMI WOODLEY: DLP (Democratic Labor Party) Senator John Madigan is firmly on record as being pro-life. He's already introduced a private members bill to remove Medicare funding in cases where abortion is used for gender selection, and he has concerns about the use of RU-486.

JOHN MADIGAN: I'm saying to you I don't believe that there's been adequate research done into whether this will have an effect on younger women's fertility in future when they want to follow through with a pregnancy.

NAOMI WOODLEY: John Madigan's view is important because he could be one of the senators holding the balance of power after September's election, just like the former independent senator Brian Harradine, who was the driving force in 1996 to make the use of RU-486 a matter of ministerial discretion.

Would you seek to do those sorts of deals if you had the power to do so in the next senate?

JOHN MADIGAN: I don't know what's going to happen after the next election, that's yet to be seen.

But you know I'd certainly be weighing up my options whatever they are when that time comes to pass.

As far as former senator Brian Harradine's actions, Brian Harradine was a man of his word, he was a role model for all senators in the way he voiced his concerns and the way he lobbied for his own state of Tasmania.

NAOMI WOODLEY: Labor Senator Claire Moore says the PBAC's (Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee) decision is not about the politics of terminations and she's welcomed the Opposition Leader's pledge to respect the experts' advice.

DLP Senator John Madigan says he respects the rights of everyone to hold their own views, but he won't be swayed.

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